Three Madison police officers were treated for exposure to fentanyl following exposure to fentanyl-laced heroin while serving a search warrant Monday.

When Madison police and Dane County Narcotics Task Force arrived, one suspect attempted to destroy 50 grams of heroin by throwing it into the air.

Fentanyl, a synthetic narcotic painkiller, is a major contributor to the national opioid epidemic. In small doses, it can depress breathing and lead to death. All three officers affected were released from the hospital with no significant problems.

Following the arrest of the two suspects on the Sherman Avenue apartment on the city’s east side, the Madison fire department’s hazardous incident team worked with state and federal partners to safely clean up any residual chemicals.

The suspect was arrested and charged with recklessly endangering safety, maintaining a drug trafficking place, possession with intent to deliver heroin, cocaine and THC. If convicted, the suspect faces a maximum of 26.5 years in prison. He has been arrested 33 times before, most recently in January, when he was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

The second suspect was arrested for maintaining a drug trafficking place. Both suspects are in their mid-forties.

According to the Madison Police department, there is “no general danger to the public because of the incident.”